Fred De La Riva

17.09 - In the biggest fight of his career, Fernando Vargas was unable to out box, out punch, out hussle Oscar De La Hoya, last Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay. As hard as he fought, and as tough as he made it for De La Hoya through the first half of the fight, his attempt to defeat the "Golden Boy" was all in vain. Saturday night was Oscar's night and I'm not talking about the legendary Hollywood statue. With a series of jabs, a newly discovered right hand, and his always-lethal left hook, De La Hoya was able to dispatch the Ferocious one by the eleventh round.
Fernando lied.

In the months before the fight, Fernando was quoted several times that he "rather die" than lose to someone the likes of De La Hoya. As far as I know Fernando is still breathing.
De La Hoya was not a "real" Mexican he claimed. Fernando pulled no punches in expressing his contempt for Oscar. Oscar was a sellout. He was unworthy to share in the Aztec ancestry that Vargas is so proud of. He was unworthy to share the pantheon reserved for all the Mexican boxing legends of the past. The endorsement of "El Gran Campion Mexicano", Julio Cesar Chavez seemed to support those sentiments. In short, Fernando hated Oscar. He probably still does.
I could go on and kick a man when he's down, but I won't.

For you see, what we saw Saturday night was not simply the so-called thug of Oxnard, as some would like to refer to him, get his just deserves. We saw a story unfold before our eyes that has unfortunately been repeated many times in professional boxing. We are seeing the mis-management of what could still be a long and rewarding career. Not that it hasn't been successful already. Fernando is rich. Rich in wealth, and rich in talent, but it is obvious that he has failed miserably in the two biggest tests of his career and whose fault is that?
Why beat around the bush? Let's start with Fernando.

Fernando is blessed with good power. He is very quick. Not as quick as say a De La Hoya or Mosley, but he is quick nevertheless. He displayed marvelous boxing skills when he toyed with the very dangerous Ike Quartey. Stamina is not a problem for him either, but it never is when you're 24. And Vargas has something that no trainer can ever teach him. He has anger and passion inside of him, that drives him relentlessly. This can be prove to be very dangerous to any opponent, but it has to be controlled and focused and so far it hasn't.

Perhaps there was a time in Vargas' career when this was all he needed to win a fight, but that has long since passed. Fights with quality opponents like Trinidad and De La Hoya are rarely won by skills alone. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a great corner to win the super fights. Fernando's trainer Eduardo Garcia has taken him as far as he is going to take him. There comes a time when the student has nothing more to learn from his teacher. De La Hoya realized this when he finally relinquished duties from long time trainer Robert Alcazar.

The loyalty that Fernando displays toward his trainer Eduardo Garcia is noble, but damaging. According to Vargas, the contract between Garcia and himself is as simple as a handshake. That's all well and good, but Vargas in no longer growing as a boxer. The quicker he realizes this the better. After all he is only 24 years old. That's still a puppy in the boxing business. There is still time to learn.

Can you imagine what kind of skills a Freddy Roach could teach him? What would Teddy Atlas do? Would Emmanuel Steward find hidden power? Then there is Nacho Berestein who has revolutionized Mexican boxing along with defensive genius Jesus Rivero. Berestein's stable includes such fighters as flyweight legend Ricardo Lopez and probably the most ducked featherweight in the world Juan Manuel Marquez. Lopez and Marquez are textbook fighters, not in the mold of Julio Cesar Chavez, but more in the mold of the late great Salvador Sanchez. They have good technique, good balance and solid defense. Boxing is a skill that takes time to learn. It takes a master to find a raw talent and then cultivate it. Those familiar with the career of Marquez, know that he has been moved carefully by Berestein. Vargas can learn much from such a man.

Phenoms in boxing are rare. Most young boxers need to be brought along slowly. They need time to learn their craft. In my opinion, as good as he has been for boxing, Shelly Finkel blew it when he had Fernando face Trinidad. The kid wasn't ready. He wasn't ready at all and he nearly paid the price.

There comes a time when a man needs to analyze his life and make the proper decisions. Vargas is no longer a boy. In the coming months as he licks both mental and physical wounds, he must step back and see if he wants to continue as he is, or grow into the fighter that he one may one day become. He is very dangerously close to being David Reid. I would really hate to see that, and this is coming from a long time De La Hoya supporter.